(PG-13 for brief, partial nudity, sexual material): as the 123-minutes finally drew to a close & all dozen or so couplings find their happy conclusions, I had the same experience as watching the conclusion of "Dear John." I ran for the exit, near to upchucking from the excess of so much lovely saccharine.
Just about every kind of will-they-or-won't-they situation occurred from the beginning, as the stories overlapped: all ages, all social levels, all sexual persuasions, etc.
According to an interview with the director, Gary Marshall, Hollywood has begun to make movies like this, with umpteen name stars, for practical reasons: Stars are busy making other films, but can do a vignette in 3 or 4 days, bring attention to the movie by attaching their names to it. It's good business.
It may be good business, but the result is a series of quickie characterizations, easily recognized in their one-dimensional roles, slickly directed & rapidly moved to create an emotional response - with the stars going-through-the-motions on the same level.
It's an ensemble romantic comedy that settles for less than the sum of its parts.
Katharine Fugate, Abby Kohn & Mark Silverstein crafted the script, filling it with tiny roles that include Julia Roberts, Emma Roberts, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Jennifer Garner, Shirley MacLaine, Bradley Cooper, Ashton Kutcher, Topher Grace, Eric Dan, Hector Elizondo, Patrick Dempsey & Jamie Foxx. May they fry in their own schmaltz for doing it. (Grade: D)
Just about every kind of will-they-or-won't-they situation occurred from the beginning, as the stories overlapped: all ages, all social levels, all sexual persuasions, etc.
According to an interview with the director, Gary Marshall, Hollywood has begun to make movies like this, with umpteen name stars, for practical reasons: Stars are busy making other films, but can do a vignette in 3 or 4 days, bring attention to the movie by attaching their names to it. It's good business.
It may be good business, but the result is a series of quickie characterizations, easily recognized in their one-dimensional roles, slickly directed & rapidly moved to create an emotional response - with the stars going-through-the-motions on the same level.
It's an ensemble romantic comedy that settles for less than the sum of its parts.
Katharine Fugate, Abby Kohn & Mark Silverstein crafted the script, filling it with tiny roles that include Julia Roberts, Emma Roberts, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Jennifer Garner, Shirley MacLaine, Bradley Cooper, Ashton Kutcher, Topher Grace, Eric Dan, Hector Elizondo, Patrick Dempsey & Jamie Foxx. May they fry in their own schmaltz for doing it. (Grade: D)